We were lucky to catch up with Kelli Christina recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kelli , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
As the CEO of KD-Staffing founded in 2007, I pride myself on changing our mission statement towards a “less is more philosophy” that revolves around focusing on higher level services while keeping long term clients. KD-Staffing has been in one healthcare network 12 years. I believe that you can provide 4 to 5 star services with less clients and gain more business and success while maintaining and proving your services. We are a specialized and niche company providing permanent medical professionals in all nursing departments including registered nurses, techs, nursing managers and director roles. We offer fair, affordable rates to our hospital clients.
The KD-Staffing recruitment team is bought into more personable business relationships and “going above and beyond” for our medical professionals. Our team often relocates medical professionals from state to state and it’s a timely process transitioning and moving individuals which requires organization, follow up, systems in process with dedicated time and heart towards the people we work with in the job process. Our services revolve around the business of “taking care of people” My business philosophies are based on the principal and idea that “if you want people to be successful then you have to have to set them up for success.” I like to call the medical professionals the “care takers of the world in healthcare” and sometimes they need a care taker in the job interview, onboarding, transition and moving process.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I Attribute my Success To Hard Work, Education And Determination. With 22 Years Of Specialized Medical Recruiting Experience And 10 Years In Business Management, I am Currently The CEO And Owner For KD-Staffing. The Company Is A Recruiting Firm That Specializes In Placing Permanent Nurses, Mid Levels, Managers And/Or Director Roles Into Progressive Programs Within Their Specialties And Passions. KD-Staffing was founded On The Idea That “Recruiting Is An Art.” I perfected my Skills In This “Art” Through A Number Of Managerial And Leadership Positions.
Before I Started A Career In Recruiting, I Obtained A Bachelor’s Degree In Business, Hotel And Restaurant Management From The University Of North Texas. I attribute my current day success and business philosophies while working in two industries. My restaurant management career of 10 years built a solid foundation at a younger age for managing business operations while learning budgeting, problem solving, building sales, training, marketing, trouble shooting and staffing. I was a young manager at 19 years old and I actually created training manuals for the restaurant industry as a college project. I worked two jobs while finishing my college degree and I was a boss prior to obtaining my degree in 1993.
At 30 years old, I would enter my second career in recruitment and a very passionate road towards staffing and recruitment in the medical industry and current day. My hospitality background explains my personality towards taking care of people and their job process. We are in the business of “taking care of people” and our clients staffing needs. My branding revolves around “doing the right thing in business” to achieve sales awards, success and results. “Doing the right thing” in business includes accepting responsibility, apologizing for mistakes, handling problems aggressively, obeying laws and operating with honesty, integrity and transparency.
In 2018, I opened my second company KDC-Making a Difference which is books and public speaking. I released my first book “Togetherness: People’s Ideas for the Common People” in 2018. This book is a collection of the articles that I wrote over a couple years time. My political plan has been generated throughout all these years in life. It was my decision to skip the campaign manager costs and write down my own unique ideas. It’s been quoted from a famous leader in history that vast knowledge comes from listening to the people. These ideas are a combination of my thoughts and others expressed opinions in this country. Current day, than we have other issues that we could add to my political plan for the continued success of the United States.
In 2021, I released my second book “Riding the Executive Roller Coaster-Medical Staffing Cases” and it’s a new international best selling book with many awards in government, politics, legal, employment laws, inspirational testimony, drama, business. I am often labeled as a ” medical lobbyist” fighting more fair practices and laws in the staffing industry. The book gives my government work to the general public and the story behind my causes for “making a positive difference” in today’s society. ABC-15 gave this book and international impact award last year.
People often perceive individuals in government elected offices and politics wanting fame and fortune while sometimes true spirits fight for making a difference because its the right thing to do. We fight causes and battles while representing three classes including the poor, middle class and rich that deserve representation in our country. My government work with many offices including the White House had remained private and FREE to this world over a decade.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
While working and communicating with a network of industry leaders, CEO’s, managers, executives and bosses for decades then I have a current story where “bosses often relate to my feelings and thoughts.” It’s a fun story about being a young manager at 19 years old and the years in between that you decide that your “tired of being the boss and let someone else be the boss and give you break” and yet you always end up mysteriously being promoted to the boss and leader again.
At 30 years old, I decided to run out on life, switch careers, switch industries, stop being the boss and let’s become “a recruiter” and a great employee. It’s one of those hard years in life when problems hit so hard and so tough and I am not sure why I didn’t buy a wig and change names while I ran away from problems. I walked into my first medical staffing job as a corporate recruiter. The general idea was to focus down, learn my job, learn computers, learn medical terminology and take direction. I absolutely loved the corner office that was private, my few recruitment partners and the smallest division that I was hired to grow at the time. I wanted to make my sales, make my paycheck and commissions and hide from the general attention of a large corporate company. We started the allied travel division with thirteen travelers and baby division. In two years, while focusing down on sales and results then the division hit ten million. At this point, the corporate boss comes into your corner office and pulls you out by the shirt collar stating “your a boss again and the company needs to listen to you talk to your people.” Why have you remained so quiet and focused? Don’t you want the attention?
Mysteriously, life has always brings me back to being the boss and producing top results no matter what life brings my way. Whether your the boss or an employee, give great passion and “go above and beyond” and you will achieve great success.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
While managing my staff or handling individuals in the job process, if you want people to be successful then you have to set them up for success in the beginning stages. I am a very big believer in organized systems, processes, procedures and training programs to grow and develop your people. You will often hear me talk about my own training program called “Recruitment is an Art” that was developed for sales people and recruiters on the phone with their jobs. Regular training meetings while role playing is very smart for the newer employees. Team members can lift each other up or tear each other into pieces given a bad work environment.
I am personally a leader that offers more generous commission structures because I prefer a team with higher morale and long term stability and loyalty to their jobs. I am willing to take less money so that my team can profit along side of me.
While I often push aggressive results then I love to plan fun events that build morale to celebrate success. But here is the deal, results first and fun later. I am very well educated in employment laws and “business is business” as the boss.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kdstaffing.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelli.christina/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelli.d.christina/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-dennehey-christina-326ba12a/
- Twitter: Account messed up
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4z-ul7G08FfPbdyWfMOTw
- Other: Author Websites: https://kellidenneheychristina.com/ https://kellichristina.net/ Two UTUBE Channels: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4z-ul7G08FfPbdyWfMOTw (Showcases my book projects, motivation, business, Brad Pitt and fan collections the true story) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyuGD2sR6e8gLEePGEPRXVQ (Showcases KD-Staffing) I have 2 instagrams, 6 Facebook accounts including 4 business pages.
Image Credits
My company photographer is Angie Dawn Photography in Texas. I own all rights for my photos and I continue to promote Angie Dawn for many years.